Ready To Rumble Parent Guide

If Gordie (David Arquette) could be anything in the world, he’d be a professional wrestler. But Gordie’s father, the sheriff of their small town, has different plans for his son, and forcibly insists he take law enforcement night courses. During the day, Gordie and his buddy Sean (Scott Caan) constantly discuss wrestling, while earning their living operating an old septic truck.

With this premise, it’s no surprise this movie runs rampant with scatological humor, beginning with the day Gordie connects the truck’s suction hose up to the back of a toilet Sean is using. Later, while eating lunch on the back of their dripping septic truck, they anxiously await the upcoming evening, convinced it will be the greatest experience of their lives—two tickets to see WCW Monday Nitro in person. Even better, their wrestling idol Jimmy King (Oliver Platt) is in the ring.

Expecting to see their champion reign supreme, the boys are in for as big of a surprise as King is. Feeling King has reached the end of his career, boss Titus Sinclair (Joe Pantoliano) has arranged for King’s brutal defeat. When the deed is over, Gordie and Sean are so distraught they crash their septic truck on the way home. Certain the wreck is a sign their sewage sucking days are over, they begin their new mission of restoring King to his glory.

The fight to get King back on his throne will probably create the greatest confusion for young audiences (it certainly won’t be the plot…) Even the fans of TV wrestling argue over whether the action is real or just carefully choreographed. Certainly King’s comeback doesn’t fit into Sinclair’s script, and requires actual brawling. But the whole thing is only pretend because it’s a movie, right?

The script tries to redeem itself by showing team effort and a change of heart in Gordie’s father (warranting a “plus” after the D grade). However, violence without consequences, foul language, toilet humor, and sexy babes, left only my stomach ready to rumble.

About author

Rod Gustafson

Rod Gustafson has worked in various media industries since 1977. He founded Parent Previews in 1993, and today continues to write and broadcast the reviews in newspapers, on radio and (of course) on the Internet. His efforts also include writing and researching media in all its forms and observing how it effects society and culture. He and his wife Donna have four children.